Chillin' like a villain.

[heliochrome85]

It would be humorous, except for the fact she's got both hands in my wallet.

When i get married, i plan on keeping my wallet in my front pocket for that reason

[ishkabibble]

Can someone point me to the thread where Greg criticized Bush for all of his vacay?

[Cold_Zero]

I dont give a s*** who is in the White House, I got one vacation this year (and will be the only one). And dont say that any of these clowns work harder than I do. I would like to see Obama, Bush or Clinton do my job and deal with the crap I do.

[stebo0728]

Not to argue either way here, but does anyone here actually have first hand knowledge of what a presidential vacation entails? Its mostly for the family, and the prez still has work to do.

[AZhitman]

Can someone point me to the thread where Greg criticized Bush for all of his vacay?

Can someone point ish to a comparison of the stats on vacation time (and golf outings) in office?

Maybe also include, for his perusal, each Administration's respective economic indicators, approval ratings, and incidents requiring attention?

Maybe throw in a comparison of the cost to taxpayers... y'know, compare staying home at one's own ranch (paid for out of pocket, with an office), versus jetting off to Spain and Martha's goddamn Vineyard.

A couple reminders: Snark is no substitute for a factual rebuttal, and last I checked, Bush was no longer the POTUS.

I never critiqued Clinton's vacations either.

[ishkabibble]

I don't see that in your original post, and don't expect me to do your homework for you.

[srellim234]

Here's a start

http://www.factcheck.org/2010/01/presid ... tion-days/

This was written today and includes his higher than his predecessors approval ratings:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/ ... 3179.shtml

[AZhitman]

I don't see that in your original post, and don't expect me to do your homework for you.

No need. I've already done all of it.

Thus, my criticism of the arrogant, elitist, short-sighted, pompous a$$ we have in the White House.

[srellim234]

Please share it. You keep carrying on about this but when evidence is presented showing the current President is actually taking less time off than previous Presidents you ignore it. You didn't criticize them so apparently you have a totally different set of standards for Obama than Reagan, Bush1, Clinton and Bush2. I've asked you multiple times to quantify what IS your acceptable standard for a President to take time off and you have ignored the requests.

His approval rating IS better than previous administrations; the evidence is in my link and you ignore it.

Please share the comparison evidence and your standards. So far your criticism of him on this issue is unsubstantiated.

[ishkabibble]

No need. I've already done all of it.

Thus, my criticism of the arrogant, elitist, short-sighted, pompous a$$ we have in the White House.

I don't see any of it. The only thing you did was make a "snarky" comment about 3 vacations with zero real analysis, and then try to deflect my "snarky" comment along with trying the tired old escape route of "Bush is no longer the POTUS".

Your second sentence is more descriptive of Bush or the Dems in charge of Congress than Obama, FWIW.

[AZhitman]

Please share it. You keep carrying on about this but when evidence is presented showing the current President is actually taking less time off than previous Presidents you ignore it. You didn't criticize them so apparently you have a totally different set of standards for Obama than Reagan, Bush1, Clinton and Bush2. I've asked you multiple times to quantify what IS your acceptable standard for a President to take time off and you have ignored the requests.

His approval rating IS better than previous administrations; the evidence is in my link and you ignore it.

Please share the comparison evidence and your standards. So far your criticism of him on this issue is unsubstantiated.

Honestly, given the position, I don't see it necessary to take ANY time off.

If I can go for 4 years without a real "vacation", so can they. But lumping Bush 2's Crawford time in as "vacation" is (and was) silly. He was at his private residence, with a full office, and just as "available" as he was at the WH... Oh, and he's not incurring taxpayer expense in Crawford.

So, perhaps your comparison is unsubstantiated, considering the flawed info it's based on.

Maybe no one criticized the prior POTUS's because they actually accomplished, for the most part, what they set out to (nix that - PROMISED) to do.

Maybe instead of chilling out on the Vineyard, he should be working on that "line-by-line analysis of the Fed budget" that he promised REPEATEDLY. Halfway into the term, we're still waiting.

You can defend the position all you want. But a critique of my position that consists of, "but you didn't do it to him or him!" is about as useful as a speeder saying, "What about all the other people who were speeding?" Both are ineffectual and desperate.

I'm just trying to find a good excuse for the guy's lack of accomplishments. I'll keep searching.

[ishkabibble]

First, the President's vacation time is a big deal. Then, it's as trivial as speeding. Classic, Greg.

You're floundering.

[AZhitman]

First, the President's vacation time is a big deal. Then, it's as trivial as speeding. Classic, Greg.

You're floundering.

Nope. You're making unrelated connections.

I never equated my criticism of his time on vacation to speeding, nor did I trivialize it.

I can't draw you a picture. I clearly pointed out that the defense consisting of, "well, why didn't you criticize the other guy?" is about as useless as a speeder's defense: "Well, why didn't you ticket the other drivers?"

Please, try and keep up.

[srellim234]

Sorry. I honestly do not believe that you have not taken a 3 day weekend in 4 years. A three day weekend is YOUR definition of a vacation. If you have indeed worked 365 days a year for four straight years, that explains your clouded reasoning. You need R&R time.

I believe Air Force One has a complete Presidential office in it. Bush was NOT in his office when he was flipping steaks on that barbecue and messing around on the ranch. So his time in Crawford DOES count as vacation time.

As for accomplishments, this President has signed stimulus, bailouts and health care reform. All three are incredibly awful bills but they can still be touted as accomplishments by the left. I expect history will prove how bad they really are but he did run on health care reform and the bill is signed. He ran on a promise of change and he's accomplished that by taking the deep hole we were in as a result of the previous administrations and applying steam shovels to dig that much faster. Besides tax cuts for the rich refresh my memory about Bush's great accomplishments. As I recall Cheney did all his dirty work and Bush just rubber-stamped it all. Very similar to Obama rubber-stamping Pelosi and Reid's dirty work.

[AZhitman]

Sorry. I honestly do not believe that you have not taken a 3 day weekend in 4 years. A three day weekend is YOUR definition of a vacation. If you have indeed worked 365 days a year for four straight years, that explains your clouded reasoning. You need R&R time.

I believe Air Force One has a complete Presidential office in it. Bush was NOT in his office when he was flipping steaks on that barbecue and messing around on the ranch. So his time in Crawford DOES count as vacation time.

Now, THAT'S a substantive defense. No, I wasn't tackling the 3-day weekends. I was pointing at the Vineyard trip, which is more than 3 days. It also involves travel (significant travel) at taxpayer expense. My definition of "vacation" is a period of time (more than a few days, of course), involving travel, R & R... And yeah, I've gone more than 3-4 years without one of those (thankfully, those days are behind me).

I can't speak to what actually went on in Crawford - I do know that one of the things they touted was that the Prez had pretty much the same setup at his office there as he had in DC. But again, even if he WAS doing absolutely nothing, at least he wasn't creating an additional financial burden (hotels in Maine, Spain, Martha's Vineyard... those places ain't cheap) to taxpayers.

[srellim234]

This is from the Washington Post, May 21, 2007

"Most members of the president's large entourage of personal, military, security and press aides stay in hotels about 20 miles away, but a skeleton crew is always close by, providing a kind of mini-West Wing for the president while he is here -- which he is often. "

So the majority was put up at public expense in hotels 20 miles away. And shuttled to Crawford at public expense daily.

[AZhitman]

In that case, I stand relatively corrected. I suppose the only real difference would he his own living expenses and such.

Thanks Steve! (link to that article?)

[srellim234]

The article explains the office setup you refer to. I wonder how much that 11 acre complex cost the taxpayers to set up and maintain.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01341.html

Despite Bush's setup, I still don't believe that Obama is out of touch and without Oval Office functionality when he is on the road. He"s a lot more of a tech user than his predecessors.

[AZhitman]

THAT I don't disagree with. And realistically, the POTUS's function is more of a delegating authority anyway.

My issue is primarily the expenditures (especially in this economic climate), the appearances (after all the criticism leveled at his predecessor by him and the Left), and the message it sends to those h purports to "lead".

I LOL'ed at "double-wide mobile homes"... Only Bush would have a mobile home park on his ranch.

[srellim234]

Even the guy from Arkansas didn't go that far....

[AZhitman]

I think the Secret Service put their collective foot down:

You want us to go where? ArkanWHAT? Oh HELL no. You're on your own, Bubba.